Thursday, 26 September 2013

With a cool NE wind blowing hopes were high for Eastern migrants but once again Beachy failed to deliver and the area was very quiet even thou a number of Beachy regulars were working the sites on the Headland.

Wednesday, 25 September 2013

We arrived to misty conditions. Covered a number of sites on the Headland but area generally quiet. Sun broke through around 9.00 am for about 15 minutes when a party of Chiffchaffs and a few other migrants including a Garden Warbler passed through the Hotel garden but when the mist re-appeared the area again became quiet. After 3.5 hrs. we called it a day. Bob and Sarah were ringing in Whitbread Hollow and although still reasonable numbers of Blackcaps it was generally much quieter than yesterday.

Tuesday, 24 September 2013

A beautiful calm sunny morning after a drive to Beachy in mist. Covered all the usual sites on the Headland including the fields around Birling Sewage Plant and met up with a number of Beachy regulars. Good numbers of House Martins over the cliffs at Birling during the early morning but otherwise a small fall of Chiffchaffs and our first Firecrest of the Autumn. RDME was trapping in Whitbread Hollow still good numbers of Blackcaps but fewer other migrants but also trapped 2 Firecrests.

Sunday, 22 September 2013

Arrived at Birling in humid misty conditions. We covered all the usual Headland sites and met up with PN at the Old Trapping Area. Generally fewer migrants seen on the Headland than yesterday, but still reasonable numbers of hirundines.

Sand Martin 30

Swallow c1,500 mainly W

House Martin c200

Whinchat 5

Wheatear 1

Sedge Warbler 1

Reed Warbler 2

Common Whitethroat 35

Chiffchaff 31

Willow Warbler 2

Migrant Hawker 3

Reed Warbler at Birling - looking quite drab but taken in misty conditions.

Saturday, 21 September 2013

We covered a number of sites on the Headland including Cornish Farm track and field. Met up with a number of Beachy regulars. BHRG were ringing in Whitbread Hollow.
Reasonable numbers of migrants present on the Head with good numbers of Meadow Pipits in the fields, and a Wryneck was seen above Belle Tout wood, but other than hirundines, little evidence of any diurnal migration. Large numbers of migrants in Whitbread Hollow with good numbers being ringed with also good numbers of hirundines present in the Hollow.

Late News from yesterday was 2 Common Cranes seen circling and then departed W over the Head towards Birling during the morning.

Friday, 20 September 2013

We covered all the usual sites on the Headland and also the fields around Birling sewage plant, meeting up with PN at Shooters Bottom. With the fine calm weather,we hoped for a reasonable fall of migrants, but only small numbers were seen and other than a few hundred House Martins, no sightings of any real diurnal migration.

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

We covered virtually all the main Headland sites meeting up with both RKH and PN. Just low numbers of migrants logged and no diurnal migration seen. Considering it is now the main passage time for hirundines when often thousands can be seen on the Head on a day in mid-September, we recorded only 10 Swallows all morning.

Sunday, 15 September 2013

We covered all the main sites including fields around Cornish Farm on the Headland, and RDME was ringing in Whitbread Hollow. Small fall of night migrants on the Head including 120 Meadow Pipits of which 50 moved W and a male Marsh Harrier flew out to sea. Blackcap numbers very high in the Hollow and a reasonable fall of Chiffchaffs as well.
Birds ringed in brackets:

Thursday, 12 September 2013

In what appeared to be almost perfect conditions for a fall of migrants, again we were disappointed with very low numbers of night migrants present on the Headland and again virtually no sign of any hirundine movement and not a single Pipit was seen even thou we covered some of the fields. We covered all the main sites on the Headland and also the fields around Birling sewage plant.
Bob was again ringing in Whitbread Hollow and had considerably more birds than we saw on the Headland. Birds ringed are shown in brackets.

Monday, 9 September 2013

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse!! Birding up the lane at Birling, no migrants and got caught in a heavy shower and quickly had to retreat back to the car. Decided to try the Old Trapping Area and Hotel Garden but only a few migrants in the area. Also covered Shooters Bottom, Belle Tout and the fields around Birling Sewage Plant. Today's effort - not worth the petrol money.

Sunday, 8 September 2013

Cooler morning with a stiff SW breeze. We met up with RJF, JK and Frank Lambert at Birling and also saw a number of the other regular birders. RDME was ringing in Whitbread Hollow. Generally a quiet morning on both the Headland and in the Hollow although Blackcap numbers are now building up in the Hollow and virtually no sign of any hirundine movement. We covered all the usual sites including Cornish Farm area and Belle Tout field but only recorded 6 Skylarks and no Meadow Pipits or Corn Buntings.
Birds ringed in brackets.

Thursday, 5 September 2013

Another fine and hot day with virtually no wind. We covered all the main sites on the Headland including the fields around Birling sewage plant and we met up with GG in The Old Trapping Area. RDME was ringing in Whitbread Hollow. Good scattering of common night migrants throughout the area with an excellent number of Reed Warblers present in the Hollow. Hirundine numbers continue to build up on the Head with House Martins now becoming the most numerous.

Birds ringed in brackets.

Sparrowhawk 2

Kestrel 3

Tawny Owl 1

Great-spotted Woodpecker 1

Sand Martin 13

Swallow 280

House Martin 400

Yellow Wagtail 48

Pied Wagtail 4

Common Redstart 2

Whinchat 5

Wheatear 12

Sedge Warbler 2 (2)

Reed Warbler 21 (12)

Lesser Whitethroat 7

Common Whitethroat 80 (3)

Garden Warbler 4 (1)

Blackcap 43 (27)

Chiffchaff 6

Willow Warbler 12

Spotted Flycatcher 3

Bullfinch 2

Migrant Hawker 1
Autumn Ladies Tresses - Could be as many as 300 showing.